It is with great sadness that the family and so many friends of Zachary “Zack” Grant Pilgrim announce his passing. Zack passed away on March 21, 2019, at the age of 37 in San Antonio, Texas.
Zack grew up in Lytle, Texas and attended Southwest Texas State University and the University of Texas at Austin after high school. He found no shortage of success during his career as a whisky distiller and blender, most notably for the award winning Balcones Distillery in Waco, TX. Zack developed some of the award winning and nationally distributed whisky blends such as “Mirador” during his time at Balcones.
Zack is survived by the love of his life, girlfriend of 16 years, and fiancé Laurel Elizabeth Sagebiel of San Antonio, TX. He is also survived by his mother, Lynnell Pyron Pilgrim and long-time friend, Cynthia Ann Marek of San Antonio, TX; father, Skeeter Pilgrim and step-mother, Sharon Ann Pilgrim of Lytle, TX; brother, Trenton Cole Pilgrim of San Antonio, TX; brother, Brandon Roy Barsch and friend Isaac Hatt of Seattle, WA; grandmother, Ruby Nell Pyron of Castroville, TX; aunt, Tammy Pilgrim Coggins and husband, Rick Coggins of Uvalde, TX; uncle, George Edward Pyron and aunt, Frances Paulette Schlessiger Pyron of Hondo, TX; cousins, Kristen Coggins and Britney Coggins of Uvalde, TX; cousin, Kyle Pyron and wife, Christine Pyron of Woodway, TX; and cousin, Coby Pyron and wife, Stacy Hernandez Pyron of Devine, TX.
To know Zack was to know his sharp wit and impeccable sense of humor. Zack’s friends and family fondly learned to share his eclectic tastes. He savored life’s finer luxuries with an academic and artistic spirit, as he intelligently educated his friends’ curiosity about the nuances of nature, cigars, music, and of course, whisky.
There are few people as generous and loyal as Zack. The world lost a dear soul, brother, son, cousin, and friend, who will live on through the contagious love he unsparingly shared. He sowed genuine friendships with ease, and those friends found themselves in an exclusive, albeit large group that were blessed by his warmth and uncompromising sincerity. Zack’s death leaves an immeasurable void in his family and friends’ lives, matched only by the immeasurable blessing borne to everyone who knew and loved him so dearly. Zack is and will forever be missed.
Visitation will be held Friday, March 29, 2019at the Hurley Funeral Home, 14822 Main Street, Lytle, TX 78052 from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m., with a celebration of Zack’s life from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. A social gathering for friends and family to further celebrate Zack’s life will be held Friday, March 29, 2019, at The Flying Saucer, 11255 Huebner Rd #212, San Antonio, TX 78230 starting at 6 p.m.
Cremation rites have been accorded.
Zack’s family requests that memorials be made to the Mitchell Lake Audubon Center in lieu of flowers. Memorials may be funded at: https://act.audubon.org/onlineactions/TBEO3Ij6qk6C7JPRhjYCuA2
Anyone wishing to leave condolences for the family, share memories or sign the guestbook may do so at www.hurleyfuneralhome.com.
Arrangements are under the direction of Hurley Funeral Home 14822 Main Street, Lytle, Texas 78052, (830) 709-0698.